


Days We Spend Under the Sun

by ariddletobesolved



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff, Frohana (Disney), Helsa Summer Event, Helsa Summer Event 2020, Romance, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:35:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 21,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25691404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariddletobesolved/pseuds/ariddletobesolved
Summary: Summer is not her favourite season, but a certain Admiral from the neighbouring kingdom is going to change that.Written for Helsa Summer Event 2020.
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Elsa/Hans (Disney)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a continuous work which consists of eleven chapters for seven prompts. If you'd like to know more about the event, head to Tumblr: helsa-summer-event. Have a great summer everyone!

The ballroom was crowded. _Too crowded_ , or at least she thought so.

After ten months, the war had finally ended, and when summer rolled in, the people of Arendelle could finally rejoice. Celebration came in the form of the Queen's birthday ball, which was held in late June. The ball, of course, was held for the people and some dignitaries or ambassadors from neighbouring kingdoms, who had been generous enough in helping Arendelle during that time of need.

"The party is too dull for your liking?"

At the familiar voice, she didn't turn. Focusing her eyes on the smiling queen, who was talking to some members of the Royal Council, she half-shrugged.

"On the contrary," Elsa said, "I find it rather grand. It's been a while since the last time I attended this kind of celebration."

"I don't believe that is a reason to not enjoy the party, Your Highness." The man standing beside her added.

She smiled, before shaking her head. "I told you not to call me that, Hans." Feeling a hand resting on the small of her back, she bit her lower lip, before turning to him. "And I told you not to do that."

Hans raised a brow and threw her a look. "What a contradictive order! First you told me not to address you with the title, then you told me not to touch you because we're in public?" He said, before leaning closer to murmur, "Elsa, you need to be specific."

Elsa blushed furiously as she tucked her hair behind her ear. It was obvious that the close proximity did something to her.

"I mean, I don't think the title is necessary." She replied. "I'm just Elsa to everyone."

He stood before her, placing a finger under her chin, certainly ignoring her previous request. "We are now officially courting, and the Councilmen know that." His emerald gaze softened. "Also, you are not just Elsa to me."

Elsa blushed. She hated to admit that she was in love, but she couldn't help the strange sensation in her stomach, as her heart beat a little faster. "Yes, the Councilmen know, but the people don't."

But instead of complying, Hans held out his hand for her. "Would you like to dance, or would you like to go to the balcony to get some fresh air? You look like you can use some."

Exhaling, Elsa knew she had no other choice. "The balcony would be fine." She took his hand.

Once they stepped out to the deserted balcony, thoughts began to run through her mind. Sure, they were officially courting, but what would happen next was uncertain. With Hans still having both his Southern Isles citizenship and his position as an Admiral in the said kingdom, Elsa thought that he would be leaving soon with the last contingent. After all, he was still under his king's direct order, and with the war ended, his service to the Arendellian Navy was no longer in use.

Elsa laid a hand on the railing. She wished she was back in the Enchanted Forest at the moment, even for a brief second, to get a taste of freedom. Deep down, she regretted not agreeing to Honeymaren and Ryder's offer to go back to the Enchanted Forest with them the day before, but she had a birthday ball to attend. Besides, Hans was still needed in Arendelle for the final preparation before the last contingent could leave. The thought of him leaving once again gave her a slight pang in her chest.

"Elsa." He gently called her name.

She didn't turn. From the way he spoke, it was obvious that he was about to tell her something.

  
"I'm staying."

  
His words, which she didn't expect to hear, were enough to catch her attention. The faint music from the ballroom was playing in the background, yet his voice was loud and clear in her ear.

"What?" Elsa's blue eyes widened. "But, I thought—"

Hans quickly placed a gloved finger on her lips, silencing her. His emerald pair bore into her blue ones, as he gently rubbed her cheek with his knuckles.

"You really thought I'd leave you here forever, after that confession?"

If she wanted to be honest, yes, she did think so. At this point, anything is possible, since the future is full of possibilities.

"Not forever, though." Elsa sighed, giving into his touch. "It's just, you said you'd go back to the sea, to continue your job as an Admiral."

"Elsa," his tone was gentle, as he tucked a few strands of platinum hair behind her ear. "You do know that my brother only made me an Admiral so that I would die in the battlefield, don't you?"

She nodded slowly, her brows knitted.

"And now that the war is over and I'm still alive, let's say my presence back in the Southern Isles is not wanted. I love my job so much, yes. But something has captured my heart here."

Her heart swelled, as the corner of her lips tugged upwards. "The sea?"

Hans smiled. "Nah, more like someone." He poked her small nose with his finger. "You."

"Well, Admiral Westergaard," she began, "I think you deserve a reward for that."

"Tell me, Fifth Spirit," he pulled her closer by the waist, "what would the reward be?"

Her gaze fell from his eyes to a pair of lips that looked ripe for her to capture.

Leaning in, she murmured, "a kiss."

Pulling him in by his cravat, Elsa pressed her lips against his. She smiled to the kiss as she combed her fingers through his auburn hair, before settling on the back of his head. His hand settled on the small of her back as he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Warmth spread on his chest, as he, too, was smiling to the kiss.

  
Once they pulled away breathlessly, Elsa stared up at him. She rested her forehead against his, smiling ear to ear. Her blue eyes were still closed, as she breathed in his familiar scent.

"Are you really staying, Hans?"

Her eyes fluttered open when she felt him moving. "Kaere," the nickname had always succeeded in making her blush, "I am." Hans tenderly cradled her face, as he pressed a small kiss on her nose. "At least for the entire summer."

She let out a giggle. "Okay."

At least having him stay for the summer was better than him leaving soon. Elsa decided that they should make the most of the time they had, but what he said next was something she didn't expect.

"The other day, you said that you need to go back to the Enchanted Forest to check on the spirits and Ahtohallan." He paused, taking both of her hands in his. "What do you say to a trip starting tomorrow?"

"Hans, what?" Her mouth was agape, as her brows knitted in confusion.

Hans placed one hand on her waist, while the other was still holding her face. "You see, I'd love to spend more time with you. This summer is the perfect opportunity for us, and I think we should travel north tomorrow, after breakfast if possible."

Elsa was too stunned, but travelling with Hans? She had never thought that she would end up with him as a significant other, let alone adventuring together. Of course, she would love to! But before she could answer, footsteps came approaching. From behind the door, Queen Anna walked out.

"Admiral Westergaard—oh, Elsa!" Anna blinked, but the corner of her lips tugged upwards. With narrowed eyes, she asked, "I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

Elsa smiled. "No, actually." She then turned to the Admiral. "We were just talking."

He bowed. "Your Majesty, is there anything you need?"

Anna quickly composed herself as she cleared her throat. "Yes, actually, Admiral. I remember you wanted to talk to me about the arrangement?" For a moment, Hans blinked in confusion, as if he tried to remember. "The arrangement regarding the last contingent, Admiral."

"Oh, forgive me, Your Majesty! It seems like I have had too much champagne tonight." He smiled sheepishly, still holding a smiling Elsa.

The blonde glanced between her sister and the Admiral, and wondered what they were actually up to. She opened her mouth to speak, when Anna came approaching with a smile.

"Alright, then." The queen said. "Oh, and Elsa, it's good to have you here." She kissed her sister's cheek, ruffling her hair slightly.

"It's your birthday ball, Anna, of course I'm here." Elsa let go of Hans' hand and returned the gesture with a quick hug.

Anna beamed. "Well, I guess I should leave you both to it. See you in the morning, sis." Turning to the former prince, she added, "I'll be in my office with Prince Kristoff, Admiral."

"Your Majesty." He bowed.

The queen, not forgetting to wink at her big sister, then made her way towards the door, before disappearing into the dim hallway. Once her footsteps faded, the couple was finally left in silence. It seemed like the party had ended, and people began to retire.

"Hans?" The blonde said, reaching out for his hand. She smiled gently when she saw the look of worry on his face. "I'd love to travel with you. I need to check on the forest and Ahtohallan too, so yeah, we can leave after breakfast."

"Really?" Gone was any trace of worry, as Hans beamed in excitement. "I mean, sure! That's great!" He exhaled in relief, before leaning in to press his lips against her forehead. "I love you, Kaere."

Elsa closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth that was slowly engulfing her. "And I love you too."

As he rested his forehead against hers, she opened her eyes and stared into his emerald ones. Never did she think that she would end up with him. The history they shared wasn't exactly pleasant, and sometimes they were still reminded of the past, especially being in Arendelle. But the past year has taught them so much. _Love did save, after all._


	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 1: "Don't you dare!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter isn't that cheesy. Enjoy!

"Are you sure you don't want me to arrange a carriage for you two?"

After breakfast, Elsa found herself in her sister's embrace, as they stood at the front door. Dressed in her blue travel outfit, the blonde looked regal as ever, and a certain Admiral standing nearby couldn't take his eyes off her.

"It is alright, Anna." Elsa pulled away from the embrace and flashed her sister a smile. "Besides, we will make a stop by the fjord so I can summon the Nokk."

Anna nodded, "okay." She let out a sigh.

Having to say goodbye to her sister had always been one of the hardest things to do. After thirteen years of separation, then three years of reunion, before being separated from each other again, Anna felt like it wasn't fair. Sure, they had duties to fulfill, but sometimes Anna reminisced about all those good times they had spent together, and couldn't help but miss Elsa's laughter that used to echo in the castle halls. And little did she know that Elsa, too, was feeling the same way.

When the queen took a step back, it was a cue for Hans to approach the sisters. Nodding at a stable boy, who was holding his stallion, Sitron's reins, he signalled him to come closer. The horse was ready, with two small bags attached on each side. But before he helped Elsa climb up, Hans turned to Anna.

He bowed politely. "Queen Anna."

"Take care of my sister, will you, Hans?" She said. Her tone was stern with a hint of friendliness.

"Always." He smiled. Bowing one last time, Hans then helped Elsa, before mounting on Sitron's back after her.

"I'll see you in a week or so, Anna." Elsa smiled, resting her hand on an arm that wrapped around her waist, while the other was clutching the rein tight.

Anna smiled, "See you, Elsa."

Just when Elsa was about to move her lower legs as a signal for Sitron to walk, she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

"Elsa, wait!"

The blonde turned to the direction where the voice came and saw Olaf running—or attempting to run, followed by Sven and Kristoff. She smiled, finding the sight rather chaotic yet amusing.

"Olaf!"

The snowman stumbled and stopped before the stallion. He tried to catch his breath with one twig hand rested on Sven's side.

"What is it?" Hans gently asked.

Kristoff, who was now standing beside his wife, sheepishly replied, "Sorry, but Olaf has something to say."

"I thought I should say goodbye once more before you go." Olaf murmured, looking up to the smiling couple with puppy eyes. "When will you be back?"

Elsa reached a hand towards the snowman. "Come here, Olaf." Taking his hand in hers, she gave it a little squeeze. "I will only be gone for a week. It's not that long, is it? We've talked about this before."

The past few months, with the war going on, Olaf had grown a closer attachment to Elsa, especially after she was badly injured during one of the battles. He became so mature and caring, protective even, and he surely didn't like the idea of being apart with her now that everything was going back to normal. One time he asked Elsa and Anna why the sisters would go back to living miles apart after the war, and even though he found it reasonable that the sister had their own duties, he still wasn't down with the idea.

"I know." Olaf sighed, before nodding. "Alright then, I'll see you soon, Elsa." He let go of her hand.

"Bye, Olaf! Take care of Anna, Kristoff, and Jensen for us, will you?" Elsa beamed.

At the mention of the little prince, Olaf, too, was beaming. Elsa knew what would keep the snowman interested: her nephew. Ever since Prince Jensen Bjorgman of Arendelle was born, the snowman loved to entertain him with interest. Often Hans said things like _perhaps Olaf just happens to like the idea of having a cousin_ , and Elsa would smack him playfully.

"Okay."

"Take care, Olaf." Hans added.

Olaf nodded, once again. Things might be a little tense between the two, mostly because of what happened in the past, but eventually the snowman had grown to be more accepting, and it got better.

"You too, Hans."

After sending a last glance at the queen and her consort, the couple began to trot away. They were heading out, past the front gates and the bridge. They would need to get through Arendelle Plaza and the harbour to get to the less crowded area in the fjord, their next stop.

"Olaf is something." Hans murmured to her ear. He held her close from behind with one hand while his other hand was holding the rein with her. "You know, last night he went to my room."

Elsa raised a brow. "Really?" She fought the urge to lean back as she found comfort in his presence, but it would make her lose her balance. "What did he do? Did he bother you?"

"He didn't. He waited for me, actually." He chuckled, sending shivers down Elsa's spine. "Olaf told me to look out for you, as I quote, _because Elsa tends to be reckless_."

The blonde chuckled. "He is just being sweet."

"Hmm, he is probably right." Hans hummed, as if he was thinking of something. "Also, he is probably still not over what happened last autumn."

Her hand unconsciously flew to her right side. There, underneath the light clothing, was a long scar from when she was stabbed during a naval battle. Elsa was too busy controlling the wind; she didn't hear an enemy approaching her. Perhaps that, and the fact that she froze to death in the depth of Ahtohallan once that would count as her recklessness. She shook the image from her head for it was too gruesome to think about, even though those were also counted as an act of sacrifice.

"Probably." She sighed. "But let's not think about it."

A few moments later, they finally left the capital and began to enter the forest. Elsa took a hold of the rein, but when she was about to pull to make the horse turn, Hans quickly took over.

"We can stop over there, Hans." She pointed at a lower ground which directly led them to an open sea. "And then I can summon the Nokk."

Sitron began to slow down at his master's tug, but instead of turning towards the open sea, he turned towards the opposite direction. Elsa's eyes widened, as they rode away from the sea.

"Where are we going?"

Hans gave her a reassuring squeeze. "There's a change of plan, but don't worry, Kaere." He pecked her cheek softy. "I promised Anna and Olaf that I'm going to look after you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" She murmured. Turning to steal a glance at him, she caught a hint of mischief in his emerald eyes. _Oh no_. "Oh, don't you dare!"

Instead of replying, Hans chuckled, as they broke into a full gallop. She tightened her grip, not wanting to fall over. _So much for trying to look after her._ By the look of it, he was putting the both of them in danger. _What makes him think that not letting her ride the Nokk is a good idea?_

"Hans!"

"Relax, Elsa. Your water horse needs a rest too." He said. "Besides, Sitron is strong enough to carry the both of us. We will be fine. Trust me."

A wild idea of trying to escape from his hold and conjured a pile of snow for her to land flashed on her mind. _But where would that take you, Elsa?_ Her conscience asked her. Right, the ground, and gods know if she would land safely. Knowing that she couldn't really do anything that wasn't risky or more dangerous and reckless, she decided to let it slide. Besides, she knew that Hans would keep her safe.

It was strange, when she thought about it. She trusted her own safety in the hand of a man who once tried to kill her. But this man is a changed man, and he has proven that he is capable of character growth more than once. Elsa smiled. They had been through a lot to get there, and she wouldn't change a thing. Giving him a second chance was one of the best decisions she had ever made.

"Fine, I trust you." She let out. "And for the love of God, stop calling the Nokk 'water horse'! We don't want _that_ to happen again, do we?"

For a while, Hans grimaced. A certain memory involving salt water flashed on his mind. Gulping slightly, he let out, "Right."

Smiling to herself, Elsa sighed in contentment. Something told her it would be a memorable trip. Perhaps, in the end, she would end up liking summer more than she wanted to admit, and all thanks to the Admiral currently holding her close.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 2: Blue skies and dandelion fuzz

_One of the best things about the forest is the serenity it offers_ , this pretty much she knew.

Standing near the river bank, Elsa had been staring at her own reflection for a while. It was still early in the morning when she sneaked out of Hans's warm embrace and out of her own hut in the village. Not that she didn't want to stay and cuddle—despite the fact that the weather was rather hot, but she would like some space for her to think, and the river bank being one of her favourite places in the Enchanted Forest could offer that.

Her mind began to wander to the event that happened the day before. Hans was indeed full of surprises when it came to wooing her, she was aware of that fact. But the trick he pulled, when he broke into a gallop instead of stopping to let her summon the Nokk, was one she didn't see coming. Nonetheless, she still found the journey quite enjoyable. Even during a few stops did she not try to summon the Nokk. The way he held her close to his chest was something she found comfort in. Eventually, they arrived in the forest when the sun went down, and Yelena was the first one to greet them, accompanied by Honeymaren. After having dinner, they stopped by the stable-like area in the village to give Sitron an extra bag of carrots. Tired from the long journey, they finally turned in and Elsa, of course, had to share her hut with Hans. 

Sighing in contentment, Elsa began to stretch her muscles. It had been quite some time since the last time she was back in the forest, she almost forgot how different the place was from Arendelle. It was really quiet in the morning. There was no sound of people trading or arguing, no sound of hooves clicking against the pavement, nothing but the serenity of nature. She smiled, still looking at her own reflection, before a familiar set of eyes stared back at her. The Nokk.

The water spirit rose from the river, standing tall before her in the form of a majestic horse. Elsa looked up with one hand reaching out to gently caress the spirit. Affectionately nuzzling its face close to hers, it was as if the Nokk tried to tell her that it missed her. Elsa let out a chuckle, for she was amused by the spirit.

"I've missed you too, Nokk." She said. "Sorry about yesterday, but Hans had another plan. At least we're here now."

The horse walked around above the river, and Elsa tilted her head in confusion.

"Are you complaining, now?" She raised her eyebrow. But before she could react, she was a flash of fire. It danced from stone to stone, before stopping beside her feet. Bending down, Elsa smiled. "Hello, little guy!"

The fire died down, and a blue salamander crawled upon her open palm. Elsa conjured a small rain of snowflakes to the creature's amusement, as it poked its tongue out to catch some fallen snowflakes.

"You like it, huh?"

Blinking and tilting its head, Bruni, the fire spirit, stared at her with something like glee. It was obvious that the fire spirit was glad to have her back. The blonde grinned, finding the gesture adorable. Looking up, she saw the Nokk staring at her intensely.

"What?"

The water horse motioned at the path towards the village.

"You want to see Hans?" She inquired. At the mention of the former prince, Bruni smiled wider. "Why, so you can try to drown him again?"

If Nokk could laugh, it would certainly roll onto its belly, Elsa was sure of that. The unspoken tension between the two brought back a memory of their first meeting. It happened shortly after Hans was released from a three hour long questioning, in which the decision sparked a brief tension between her and her sister. Anna, being the wise queen she was, decided that she found nothing harmful with his presence back in Arendelle. Hans was there to deliver an invitation under the Crown Prince of the Southern Isles' order. Elsa, refusing to accept it, mounted on the Nokk and rode across the ocean towards where his ship was in the harbour. They had a quarrel which resulted in him slipped on Elsa's ice and fell into the water. The Nokk, that was offended by Hans' accidental name calling 'water horse' did try to drown him, leaving Elsa standing on her ice.

"He is not the same man, you know." She sighed, making her way towards the majestic horse. Bruni crawled up and rested on her shoulder. "He has grown to be a better person, don't you worry about it."

Elsa smiled at that thought. It wasn't easy to get where she was, but time had given them a chance. Then, faintly, she heard some footsteps walking closer. She turned, only to see Ryder walking with a smaller reindeer.

"Morning, Elsa."

She smiled. "Ryder! I didn't see you last night. How are you holding up?"

The young man returned the smile, half shrugging sheepishly. "Well, I'm fine, I guess? I've been taking care of the reindeers." He nudged the reindeer standing beside him, who nudged back. "This one is John."

"Oh," Elsa tried to bite back a laugh, "that's quite a name for a reindeer."

"I know." Ryder brushed it off as if it was nothing, certainly not aware of Elsa's amused face. "Oh, and one more thing, Hans is looking for you."

"Sure." Elsa turned to the Nokk, who was tilting its head. "I'll be there shortly."

"Great! I'll head off to the meado now." He said. "Also, the breakfast is ready, so you better go back soon."

Nodding, she looked back. "Sure. I'll see you later, Ryder."

"See you later, Elsa." With that, he took off with the reindeer.

Once again, she was left alone with the spirits. "You're coming, Nokk?" Instead of answering, the Nokk turned around and dived into the water. "So, it's just us." Elsa turned to the excited salamander, that was now crawling onto the top of her head. "Fine, it seems like you really are excited to see Hans."

She made her way towards a familiar path that led her back to the village. Taking a deep breath, she let the clean morning breeze fill her system. She looked up to the blue sky and sighed. _Nothing topped a nice breezy summer morning._ It was rather warm in the forest, since summer had arrived up north, but she liked it. Unlike Anna, Elsa wasn't a huge fan of summer. She couldn't really stand the heat, and would take every opportunity to take shelter under the shade. The reason why she agreed to Hans' suggestion to ditch the carriage—other than to spend more private time together on the journey—was because of her ability to conjure some clouds above them should the weather be too sunny.

The sound of children playing around and people starting the day got louder as Elsa walked closer to the village. From afar, she spotted a familiar auburn haired Admiral sitting on the ground with two bowls of steaming food beside him. He looked far too engrossed in a conversation with a brunette sitting before him, he didn't see her coming.

Elsa saw this as an opportunity to surprise him, but before she could do such a thing, Bruni already beat her to it. The salamander hopped from her head and landed safely on the ground, before it crawled towards the Admiral. Upon the tiny element of surprise, Hans almost jumped on his seat. Bruni settled on his shoulder, causing him to turn and saw Elsa standing nearby.

"Elsa." He looked a little taken aback, before flashing her a smile. "Have you been there for a while?"

"No." Taking a seat next to him, Elsa pecked his lips shortly. "I have just arrived." She then turned to the brunette. "Morning, Maren."

"Good morning, Elsa." Honeymaren smiled. "Did you see Ryder?"

"Yes, I did." Elsa nodded, taking a bowl Hans offered her. "Thank you, Hans." Turning back to her distant cousin, she continued, "So, what were you two talking about? You both seemed engrossed."

Honeymared glanced at Hans, before replying, "Nothing that would interest you, really. Hans was asking about the crops, yeah."

Hans smiled. He didn't say anything, instead, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. But something told Elsa that it wasn't exactly their main topic of discussion.

"Okay."

"Where were you?" Hans asked. "I woke up this morning and you were nowhere to be seen."

"I was at the river bank, talking to Nokk, before Bruni came." She smiled at the beaming salamander. "They missed you."

Hans playfully rolled his eyes. "Yeah, as if the water horse misses me. I wouldn't be surprised if the little guy here did, or maybe Gale, since it greeted me earlier before deciding to play with those kids." He gestured at the wind spirit swirling around two giggling children.

Elsa grinned in response. "What did I tell you? Nokk doesn't like it."

"What will the Nokk do anyway, try to drown me?" He raised a brow, before shrugging. "Anyway, you should finish your breakfast. Are you going to visit Ahtohallan later today?"

She shook her head no. "I'll go to Ahtohallan tomorrow."

"Great! Because I have a plan for the two of us later." Hans beamed, briefly glancing at Honeymaren, who shrugged slightly.

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "What is it?"

"That, Kaere, is for me to know," Hans poked the tip of her nose, "and for you to find out."

"Fine."

Elsa beamed. Excitement surged through her, as her mind began to think of a few possibilities. She might look as if she wasn't expecting much, but deep inside, anticipation was building up. She looked forward to whatever adventure he had in store for her.


	4. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 2: Blue skies and dandelion fuzz

"You have thought about this through, haven't you, Hans?"

When Hans suggested that they should explore some parts of the forest, Elsa didn't expect a picnic along the way. But there they were, sitting on a picnic blanket Honeymaren had prepared, under the shade of an oak tree. Without her knowing, Hans had packed a few pastries—including some krumkake—before they departed from Arendelle the day before. It was only the first day, yet he had given her enough surprises. She wondered what he had actually planned for the whole trip.

Hans chuckled, as he rolled the sleeves of his cotton shirt. "I did tell you that I already have plans. Do you like it?"

Shyly, Elsa looked away. Her blue eyes were gazing at Sitron that seemed to bond with a group of reindeers at the meadow, a little farther from where they were. The green scenery before her, with the addition of bushes of daisy and some growing dandelions surrounding them made the view even more beautiful. It was a perfect picnic spot, of course she did like it.

"Yes, I do." She looked back, flashing him a smile. "Thank you, Hans."

The Admiral shook his head. "Nah, don't mention it. When was the last time you went on a picnic?"

Elsa tilted her head, trying to recall. "I can hardly remember."

Handing her a bottle of lemonade, he added, "The whole time you live here you haven't actually gone on a picnic?" He raised an eyebrow.

The blonde shrugged. "Well, a few times, perhaps. But that was before the war, and it was just an outing with Ryder and Honeymaren." She took a small sip from the bottle. "This is actually really good." Putting down the bottle on the blanket next to her, Elsa then faced the Admiral and caught his dreamy gaze. "What?"

Hans shook his head. "Nothing." But what he did next was something she didn't expect.

"Hans!" She yelped when Hans lied down and put his head on her lap. 

Ignoring her protest, Hans closed his eyes and sighed in contentment, feeling the light blue icy fabric pressed against the back of his head. "This is nice."

Elsa's face turned red. She was stunned at first, but she eventually smiled fondly. She combed her fingers through his auburn hair, earning herself another sigh from the Admiral. His thick hair felt rather soft against her skin, and it had grown longer; she kept brushing back his bangs.

"I love you." Hans murmured. His eyes fluttered open, revealing those emerald orbs. The corner of his mouth tugged upwards as he watched her face. The close proximity allowed him the view of the faint freckles dusting her face. 

She could feel her heart swell inside her ribcage at those words. She used to live in denial when it came to _love—romantic, sexual love_ , but with every second that passed, Elsa grew fonder of the man resting against her. Her forefinger grazed the skin of his forehead, down to the slope of his perfectly angled nose, before tapping the tip gently. 

"And I love you." She tucked some platinum locks behind her ear, before leaning in to capture his lips with hers.

Once she pulled away, Elsa eyed the surrounding. Hans tried to follow her gaze.

"What are you looking at?"

She shook her head slowly. "Nothing. It's just the view. It's always been so beautiful."

"I agree." He replied. "I've never really been away from the Southern Isles to spend summer, well, with the exception of going to your coronation a few years ago, but we both know how it ended."

Briefly, Elsa glanced at her hands, which were resting each on his head and his upper arm. Her brows furrowed, as she was reminded of a particular memory. Yes, she had her powers under control—she also understood the purpose of the gift, but the tainted past would still be there. How quick her people forgave her for what she had done still made her wonder.

"Sorry." Hans, knowing that he had caused such tension to spark, apologised. He noticed where her blue eyes looked at and immediately grabbed her hand. "Hey, Kaere."

At the nickname, her blue eyes met his green ones. There was something in his eyes which stared at her with sincerity. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, before bringing it to his mouth, in which he tenderly kissed her palm, eyes never leaving hers. Such gesture was enough to make her feel fuzzy and warm, with a pleasant touch lingering on her skin.

"I'm sorry for bringing that up." He reached out to caress her cheek.

Elsa flashed him a small smile, holding his hand. "Hans, it's alright." This time, it was her turn to reassure him. "How about you tell me a story?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What kind of story?"

Half shrugging, she replied, "Well, anything that makes you happy, perhaps?"

"Like sailing?" Seeing her nodding, the Admiral continued, "What about it?"

"Why do you love it?"

Hans smiled. He had his eyes on the blue skies above them. A sense of nostalgia clouded his mind. 

"You know, I also love the sea, I always do, and those two can't really be separated. I used to sneak out of the castle and go to the docks, just to admire the sea, aside from hiding from my brothers. Then one day, my mother was kind enough to give me a boat as a gift. Of course no one else knew, except for me and mother. The boat was small, but she was strong. Nordstjernen I called her."

"The North Star?" Elsa let out. 

He nodded. "Nobody taught me how to sail, but the books in the castle library provided enough information. The third time I went sailing, I came to realise that I actually enjoyed it. The feeling of being out there in the open sea gives me a sense of freedom, one I used to think I'd never get. I was trapped in the Southern Isles with uncertainty, and the confinement that I felt, let's say it drove me straight to my doom."

"But you're here now, and you're free."

Sighing, Hans turned to face her. "I am." He smiled. "We should go sailing, maybe next week after we get back to Arendelle?"

Elsa shrugged. "I don't know about that."

"Why?" He tilted his head. "It's going to be fun! I promise you this time we won't be trapped in the middle of a battle."

The blonde couldn't help but smile, reminiscing the victory from the last naval battle side by side they fought.

"See that smile? I can tell that's a yes. You want to, just admit it, Elsa." He teased, earning himself a slap on the chest. "Hey! Who knows maybe I'll let you steer." Then he paused, before grinning. "Oh wait, you don't know how to!"

Elsa rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I was once the Queen of Arendelle, Hans, of course I know how to steer a ship. You're underestimating me."

"Sure." Hans sat up and scooted closer to Elsa, his body was facing the opposite direction. "But I am an Admiral, I shall be the judge of that. And I bet you can't use some naval equipment." He leaned in. Their faces were so close, he could feel her breath.

Her blue eyes narrowed, as she took in what sounded like a challenge. "Well then, Admiral, should I remind you that I once have the entire armada under my command? Operating a simple naval equipment, say a sextant, is among those things I learned growing up."

At this, the former prince raised an eyebrow in amusement. Indeed, he was aware of that fact. Elsa was once a Queen after all, and the Arendellian Navy was one of the strongest in the area, right after The Southern Isles. Her days leading up to her coronation must have been spent learning about her country, as well as trying to control her powers.

"Alright, I'll let you steer." He said. Emerald eyes glinting with mischief. "But only if you say yes."

"So, you want an answer?" Elsa tilted her head, as she stared at him with her big blue eyes. One hand secretly reached to pick a stalk of matured dandelion growing beside her. Seeing him nodded, she smirked. "Then, have this!"

Elsa blew the dandelion fuzz, and chuckled when the seeds flew towards his face. Immediately, Hans closed his eyes and leaned back, trying to avoid the floating seeds. Taking this as an opportunity, Elsa got on her feet and ran away, but not before she gave him a slight push.

"Come and get me!"

Once the Admiral realised what happened, the corner of his lips curved into a smile. He liked this playful side of hers he didn't see quite often. _Taking her on a trip is a good idea, it seems._ Chuckling to himself, Hans got on to his barr feet and went after her to the meadow.

 _Hopefully_ , he thought, _soon, she would say yes._


	5. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 3: Relaxing in the intense sun

It was noon when Elsa came back from Ahtohallan, to do a brief check on the glacier. The place, of course, was still as hostile and as empty as the last time she was there. And since she had nothing else to do, the Fifth Spirit decided to ride back to the village. She was expecting Hans to be inside her hut or in the stables with Sitron, but when she arrived, she was surprised to find her hut empty.

"Hans is out with Bruni. I think he went to the river bank." Honeymaren told her, and after muttering a quick thank you, she took off.

Arriving in her favourite spot, Elsa saw no sign of the Admiral. That was until she heard a familiar laughter. Turning her head, she caught a glimpse of a tall man standing next to a big rock on the riverside, a little farther from her spot. Under the intense sun, his auburn hair gave her the impression that his head was on fire.

"Oh yes, yes, Elsa is definitely gonna like that."

When her name was mentioned, the blonde tilted her head in curiosity. _Who is he talking to?_ Silently, Elsa took a few steps forward and hid behind a tree. Once she was sure that she remained unnoticed, Elsa took a peek.

Hans exhaled, still standing with his back facing her direction. "Sometimes, I feel like I'm dreaming." He paused, before turning to face the river, causing Elsa to quickly hide. "I've done bad things before. I was causing her pain. And yet, she's still giving me a second chance." He sighed. "She is too good to be true."

A smile formed on her face, as Elsa stood there, leaning against the tree.

"I love her." He confessed. "So very much. I'd never known love until I knew her. And I'm grateful to have her in my life." Chuckling, Hans then added. "Elsa was right, you really are a good listener. Thanks buddy."

Smiling, Elsa braved herself to take another peek at the Admiral. He was still there, with a salamander nesting on the top of his auburn head. He was grinning, probably because of the fire spirit's antics.

"The weather is nice, don't you think? Maybe I can try to relax as I wait for Elsa. Do you think it's a good idea?" Hans looked up slightly, asking for Bruni's approval. When the creature squeaked, the former prince beamed. "Of course it is."

Elsa wondered if it was time for her to come out of her hiding, but what he did next refrained her from doing so.

Bruni hopped off as Hans unbuckled his boots. Once the leather pair was settled on the grass ground, he began to undo his dark blue waistcoat and let the material hit the ground just beside his boots. His cotton shirt came off next, and as it was carelessly thrown towards his pile of clothing, the blonde found herself digging her nails into the wooden branch she held onto. Her blue eyes widened as his bare muscular back came to the view. Indeed, it was nothing she hadn't seen, for they had spent some nights together. Elsa knew she shouldn't sneakily spy on someone, but she couldn't help it, she was curious. At least, that was her defence. 

And yet, a certain spirit decided to ruin her fun.

"Nokk!" She gasped once she noticed the water spirit standing on the river right beside her. "What are you doing?"

But the horse kept nodding at Hans' direction, as if trying to tell her to go to him. Upon the gesture, Elsa shook her head. She swore she saw the Nokk smirked, before the creature trotted away.

"Nokk, come back!" In a slight panic, the blonde yelped and reached out towards the spirit, revealing herself in the process.

She stumbled along the way, only to see the Nokk dived into the water. Her little commotion did catch the Admiral's attention. From his seat on the big rock, with his feet dangling over the edge, Hans watched her in shock.

"Oh, Elsa!" He greeted, raising an eyebrow. "Have you been there long?"

 _Oh, dear._ She thought. _There is no turning back now._ She had been played by the sneaky water horse—yes, she would gladly use that term for now—and she got caught. Her face grew hotter, as she got back on to her feet, and Elsa swore it wasn't the heat.

Biting her lower lip nervously, she approached him. "Um, no?" Deep down, she wanted to slap herself in the face for sounding unsure.

Hans seemed to understand. Then again, her flushing cheeks proved that she was just caught red handed doing whatever it was. Had she been watching him? Strangely, he found her adorable. 

"Come!" Hans patted a spot beside him on the rock. "The weather is too nice to be missed."

She smiled sheepishly. "Nah, I'm fine."

He rolled his eyes. "We can sit here for a few minutes, then we can go back to the village."

"But it's too sunny!" Elsa didn't want to sound whiny, but this kind weather was never a good friend of hers. 

"It's not too sunny, it's perfect." Sighing, the Admiral decided to hop off the stone, and walked over. "Besides, you can use a bit relaxation." 

He grabbed her shoulders, and Elsa tried to focus her gaze on his eyes, instead of the sweat that slowly trailed down his chest. Did he really mean that she could relax under this intense sun? He must be crazy. Then again, this was Hans, and he would come up with the craziest idea if he wanted to just because he loved crazy. But those eyes, could she really resist them?

"Fine." She finally caved in, ignoring the grin on his face.

Hans took her hand and led them both towards the giant rock. He helped her up, before settling down next to her. For a while, the two of them were sitting in silence. Nature engulfed them with serenity, and Elsa found herself thinking in the midst of it. The way Hans talked about her, his confession, she couldn't just brush it off like it was nothing. The sincerity in his words, Elsa could sense it, and flames burned inside her upon the thought.

"Penny for your thoughts?"  
Realising that they hadn't said anything ever since she agreed to his plan, Elsa quickly recovered from her daydream.

"Nothing that would interest you." A lie. But she couldn't just tell him she had been watching him from afar, before she was tricked by the Nokk. "I see that you're bonding with Bruni."

The tiny blue salamander crawled onto her lap, looking up at her with its tongue out. Knowing what the creature needed, Elsa waved her hand and made a snowflake rain above it, in which Bruni excitedly breamed. in response.

"Adorable creature, that little one is." Hans commented, as he stared at the blue salamander. "But also deadly. Sitron doesn't like Bruni, I think. For some reason, it scared him."

Elsa let out a chuckle, letting Bruni hop on to her open palm. "I agree." She gently stroked it's small head, and the salamander squeaked.

As the minute passed, the hotter the air got. Elsa felt like she would melt any second now, yet she resisted the urge to conjure a small cloud to help them cool off. No, that would ruin what Hans referred to as the perfect weather. 

"Alright, I think that's enough sun for me." Elsa smiled, as the fire spirit crawled up to her shoulder.

But when she moved to climb down, a hand stopped her. "Wait, where are you going?" His eyebrows knitted, and his free hand moved to wipe the sweat off his forehead, a gesture her own hand wanted to mirror.

"Hans, you mean well, but I can't really stand the heat." Elsa reassured. "I'm gonna sit over there under the shade to cool off, and you may stay here."

The former prince frowned slightly, his shoulders slumped. Gazing into the water, he noticed a pair of eyes observing him. An idea popped into his head, and it was too good to miss. Looking up, he flashed her a smile.

"You said you need to cool off, right?"

Elsa narrowed her eyes as she eyed him with suspicion. "Uh, yes?"

The next thing she knew, Elsa was surrounded by the cold water. The river wasn't that deep, and she quickly swam. Once she came out of the water, she glared at the Admiral who was still seated on the rock.

"What was that for?" She scoffed.

Hans smirked. "Revenge is sweet, Kaere."

But her frown only got deeper. "Fine then." Turning to the water surrounding her, Elsa caught a pair of glowing eyes, and smirked. "Nokk, get him."

The blonde noticed how the look on his face changed, and with a splash, Hans finally joined her in.


	6. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 3: Relaxing in the intense sun

"It's beautiful."

When the sun went lower in the west, Elsa found herself in Hans' embrace as they sat at the top of the hill which overlooked the open sea. After their little commotion at the river earlier, one that involved the water spirit, Hans suggested that they should go and explore the coast, so there they were. The couple had been watching the sun for a while, and although it wouldn't set anytime soon, the view before them was a sight they couldn't miss.

"Yes, it is." Elsa sighed in contentment, leaning back against his chest. Unknown to her, neither the open sea nor the pale tint of orange that painted the sky was what he found beautiful.

Hans moved to press his lips on the top of her hair, as he pulled her even closer by the waist. The cold radiating from her body, that he could feel through the cotton shirt he was wearing, was oddly pleasant. His hand rested on his lap, letting Elsa trace patterned frost all over his open palm. Having stayed like that for a good thirty minutes, just enjoying each other's presence in a comfortable silence, the former prince couldn't help but think.

_Where would it take him, had he not doomed himself in the first place?_

Surely, their story would begin differently. Different types of ending would come along, whether it would be better or happier than the present he lived in, he didn't know. Often he woke up in the middle of the night because of the nightmares—one of them was about him being succeeded in ending the eternal winter in Arendelle, and as the result, he would hate himself in the morning. He didn't have blood in his hands, but the guilt was still there. Then again, everything did happen for a reason, and that everyone had roles in the story, him included. He just wished that he could take back the hurt and the pain he had caused her and her sister.

"You've been quiet." Elsa broke the silence, turning her head to face him. Her big blue eyes were filled with curiosity.

He shook his head slightly. "I was just thinking."

"Oh." She let out. "Nothing bad, I hope."

Smiling, Hans took a deep breath. He looked down and noticed that the sleeve of her lilac short dress had lowered, exposing the milky skin underneath. Gently, he moved to fix it, causing Elsa to smile sheepishly and adjusted her sitting position in his embrace.

"I hope."

Sighing, the blonde then nuzzled his cheek, nose grazing his sideburn, trying to comfort him. She frowned, noticing how tense he suddenly got. 

"Is it about your brother?" She asked softly, trying to not trigger anything. His brothers, especially the oldest—the King of the Southern Isles, had always been a sore topic to talk about, and she didn't want to ruin the moment with any bitter topic.

"It's not." He exhaled, nuzzling her hair.

Hans closed his eyes, trying to erase those vivid images from his nightmares, and replacing them with happy memories he shared with Elsa. But those dreams were so intense, he unconsciously tightened his grip on her side.

"Hans!"

Her gasp was enough to wake him from his thoughts. His eyes fluttered open, and he was greeted by a worried looking Elsa. _It was not real._ He convinced himself. _This one is real._

Cradling his head, Elsa pressed her forehead against his. His hands reached out to hold hers, and they stayed like that for a moment. That was until Hans helped her to sit on his lap. Her head rested on his shoulder, as she let him hold her close. She was his safe haven.

"It's the nightmare."

"The one you told me the other day?"

Hans nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Elsa gave his hand a squeeze. "We have talked about this, Hans." She pecked his jaw fondly. "I love you."

There was a pause, before he, too, said, "I love you." He pressed another kiss on the top of her head. "So very much."

_I'd never known love until I knew her. And I'm grateful to have her in my life._

She was reminded of his words she overheard earlier that day, and her lips curved into a smile. Warmth spread across her chest, sensing the sincerity his words held. Suddenly, the thoughts that kept her up the night before began to cloud her mind. Hans told her he stayed for the summer, and Elsa could only assume that he would leave afterwards. Therefore, they should make use of the precious time they had. Hans did plan this trip so they could spend some time together, but deep down, Elsa would like it better to show him more of Arendelle. For twenty four years it had been her home, and even though she was no longer living there, it would always be the place she came back to. Besides, she could see her sister.

Anna. Elsa smiled as she thought about her. Her sister was the queen, and it seemed like she had been doing fine so far. Now that they were no longer at war, at least she knew that Anna would be alright. Her mind drifted back to the time they'd spent together. She admitted, she missed her bubbly personality. After all, Anna's glee had always been so contagious, and she was the sunshine between the two sisters.

"What is it, Kaere?"

Elsa bit her lower lip. An idea popped into her mind, but would he be okay with that? Only one way to find out.

"I want to ask you something." She looked up, meeting his green eyes.

"Fire away."

"Do you mind if we cut this trip short and go back to Arendelle soon?"

His eyebrows furrowed at the question he clearly didn't expect. "Why?"

"I know you have plans for us this summer. It's just, I think it's best if we spend the rest of the summer in Arendelle." She explained while holding his hands. "It's my birthplace, and I would like to show you more of it, the culture and all. I have a strong connection to Arendelle, and I want you to have that too."

Elsa expected him to be upset, then trying to convince her to stick with his plans—he was a smooth talker, after all. Well, the old Hans, she could imagine doing that, but this Hans? That sounded out of character. To her delight, the Admiral flashed her a smile. He brought her hands up and planted a few small kisses on each back.

"Kaere," he gently, tucking some blonde strands behind her ear, "I don't mind."

Hans didn't mind at all. In fact, her suggestion only added more to his anticipation. To cut their trip short might be a good idea in the end. Going back to Arendelle sooner would give him more room to make sure of the whole preparation for his final plan. Also, he trusted Elsa, and she must have had an organised plan for their return trip.

"Alright, then." The former queen grinned, completely oblivious to his scheme. "I'll write to Anna soon to tell her that we're going back to Arendelle tomorrow."

Okay, probably not an organised plan. Nonetheless, Hans would still say yes to any of her ideas. Everywhere she goes, he would gladly follow, even if they're heading to the unknown.


	7. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 4: Gorgeously tan

"I wonder if Hans took part in your decision to leave so soon."

Just like the other day, when she was about to travel to the Enchanted Forest, Elsa found herself bidding a farewell. The only difference was instead of her sister and brother-in-law, it was her distant cousins and aunt, to whom she was talking.

"It's all me, actually." Elsa said, glancing at the Admiral, who was preparing Sitron for the journey, with a salamander sitting on his shoulder. She sighed, "I feel bad. I know he has plans, and I feel like I'm ruining this for us."

"Oh, he has plans alright." Honeymaren retorted, before quickly added, "But don't worry, you're not ruining anything, Elsa. You know he is willing to do anything for you, right?" She smiled, patting the blonde's upper arm. _In fact, you're making it easier for him._ The sentence was already on the tip of her tongue.

"Perhaps, you're right."

The Fifth Spirit focused her attention back at the Nokk, whose body was already frosted over so he could walk on the ground. Unlike their previous journey, Elsa thought that perhaps they could reach Arendelle before dinner time if they went with two horses. Fort the idea alone, she and Hans had an argument, right after she had the letter for Anna sent by the wind spirit. Eventually, she won, or more like, Hans caved into her suggestive way of persuasion.

"Your visit is too short, this time, Elsa." Ryder said, as he stood beside his sister. "Are you sure you and Hans can't stay longer?"

Turning to face the siblings, Elsa flashed her a smile. "I'm so sorry, for the sudden change of plan. I promise, we will go back here soon."

The siblings smiled ear to ear as they pulled Elsa in a group hug. Once pulling away, the blonde saw an elderly woman, with a stern face, come approaching. Hans, who was holding Sitron's rein and guiding the stallion, trailed after her. Strangely, the fire spirit was not with him.

"Do you have everything packed, Elsa?" The woman asked.

Elsa nodded. "I do, Yelena."

Yelena reached out her hands, and the former queen took them. "Safe journey."

"Thank you."

Hans, who had been eyeing their interaction, stepped in and shook Yelena's hand. "Thank you so much for the kind hospitality, once again."

"You're welcome."

"Maren, Ryder," the Admiral nodded at the siblings, "I hope to see you both soon."

Honeymared smiled knowingly. "Oh, I'm sure of it. The next time we meet, you're going to be a part of our family, right?"

Elsa raised her eyebrow in confusion, as he gulped. Hans sent the young woman a look, in which an innocent smile was what he got in return.

"I mean, you're technically our family but not quite?"

"Thank you, Honeymaren." Yelena cut in. "We don't want to hold them up from their long journey, do we?"

"Yes, sorry."

Hans helped Elsa mount on the Nokk. Her light blue short sleeved knee length dress with a pair of leggings underneath made it easier for her to sit the horse. Once he made sure that Elsa was settled, Hans mounted on Sitron. Most of their belongings were kept in the two bags that were attached to the saddle.

"I'll see you soon!" Elsa waved at her relatives, and a few villagers nearby, as she signalled the Nokk to move.

Hans mimicked her gesture, and soon, the two of them trotted down a lane that led them to the outskirts of the forest. A casual trot broke into gallops, and soon the couple found themselves racing past the four stones which stood as the gate. Being out in the wild did bring one's competitive nature out, this very much they knew.

Elsa grinned excitedly. Clearly, she was enjoying herself. Her braided hair flew behind her. From a close distance, Hans gazed at her fondly. Her laughter was like music to his ear, as they rode side by side across the woods. He wished he could freeze this moment and treasured it in his memory, for this playful side of hers was something he didn't see everyday.

The weather was hot, and the higher the sun went in the sky, the more humid it got. It was one of those days, and Hans was thankful that he decided to ditch his jacket for their journey. The white cotton shirt clung to his body, as he was drenched in sweat. He turned to see Elsa's dress— _which was obviously made of icy fabric_ —glisten under the sunlight. Her magic was truly powerful that it didn't melt even in the intense sun.

They had been riding for almost two hours, and in such weather, the Admiral thought that they could use some rest. Sighting a small lake in a distance, Hans pulled the rein, and almost immediately, Sitron slowed down. Noticing the decreasing pace, Elsa came to ride alongside him.

"What is it?" She asked breathlessly.

"There's a lake right over there." He pointed at the foot of a small hill nearby. "We should rest for a bit, you know, to cool off and maybe have lunch?"

Elsa glanced at the lake and nodded. "Sure."

Taking a small break after the journey turned out to be a great idea. They were setting by the lake, under the shade of an oak tree, much to her relief. The Nokk was already defrosted, while Sitron was left to wander around nearby. The view would have been perfect, had it not been for the bright sunlight and the lack of clouds in the sky. At least that was what Elsa thought. "It's too sunny." Hans let out as he handed a bottle of water for the former queen.

Elsa raised a brow, taking the bottle from his grasp. "I thought the weather is perfect for you. You said so yesterday." She smirked.

Hans smiled sheepishly. "Nah, this one is too intense."

Yes, she could see it. The man standing before her was definitely drenched in sweat, heck it was as if he just got out of the water or something. Was the weather too humid? Sure. But her power could keep her cool, so she wouldn't have to worry about the constant sweating. The one thing that bothered her was the scorching heat that made her feel like she was about to melt.

"Maybe you should take off your shirt." Elsa suggested, gulping at the way the material clung to his skin. Her blue eyes slowly darted from his chest to his green eyes.

Hans, who caught her staring, obliged but not before he flashed her a smirk and said, "You really are so eager to see me topless, aren't you, Elsa?"

"Of course not!" The former queen scoffed.

Her face turned crimson, and she quickly glanced around at the scenery surrounding them. It was better than his torso anyway, _or maybe not._ At her reaction, Hans chuckled. Taking his shirt off, he used it as a towel and began to dry his skin. Realising that he would need to change, the Admiral walked towards his bag, which was on the ground next to Sitron. It was then did Elsa look back.

With his toned back facing her, the blonde couldn't help but stare. The faint reddish marks brought back the memory from the night before, and once again her cheeks flush. She watched as he pulled a clean white shirt out of the leather bag, then turning around. Her blue eyes widened once she noticed the burn on his exposed skin that was now visible under the sunlight.

"Hans!" Elsa gasped. She hurried towards him. "Oh no, your skin." Frowning, she ran her hands over the skin of his arms, up to his neck, before stopping to cup his face. "Let's get you away from the sun."

Sensing the former queen's worry, Hans just nodded and let her lead him to where they previously stood. She lowered herself to sit on the grass, but before she could do so, Hans quickly stopped her.

"Elsa, no!" He said, tugging her hand. "You'll ruin your dress, let me fetch my jacket for you to sit on."

"Hans," grabbing his arm, she smiled at him, "it's okay. Just sit down!"

Side by side, they sat on the grass. Feeling her cool hand still holding him, Hans tilted his head, trying to figure out her next move. "What are you doing?"

"Cooling you off." The blonde said, still focusing her attention on the task at hand. She studied the burn on his arms, fingers carefully tapped on the skin. It felt rather painful, and he flinched. Looking up, Elsa stared at him with a comforting glance. Those blue in her eyes showed him love.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

Of course he did. He would put his fate onto her hands if he must. But little did he know that what she was about to do would make him think twice about that.

 _Painfully cold_. It was the first thing that came to his mind when Elsa's hands glowed blue. Having the icy touch pressed against his hot skin felt so strange, but as seconds passed, it became more bearable and surprisingly pleasant. Her hand slowly moved, spreading a thin layer of frost up to his chest, then his neck, covering every inch of his red skin. Closing his eyes, he let himself sighed in contentment.

Elsa smiled in relief. Her powers could come handy, in the end. She watched his brows slowly relaxing, and moved her hand to cradle his head. As he leaned to her touch, Elsa could feel his burning skin. It must have hurt, but why didn't he say anything? For a while, they stayed like that, embraced by the serenity of nature.

"Do you want me to conjure some clouds on our way home?" She gently asked.

 _Home_. Unknown to her, the word caught his attention.

His eyes fluttered open, before he replied, "If you don't mind."

"I don't." The blonde let go of him, resting her hands on her lap. "How are you feeling?"

"Better now, thank you." Hans smiled and leaned in to peck her lips. "Although I have a feeling that you were enjoying it, Kaere."

"As if!" Elsa rolled her eyes at his cockiness. Looking away, she tried to hide her flushing cheeks.

The Admiral chuckled as he put the clean shirt on. "You're blushing, Elsa. Is it the heat?"

"Shut up!" She scowled. Getting on her feet, Elsa made her way to the lake.

"Aww, come on!" Hans followed after her. "I was only joking." Once he caught up to her, he grabbed her arm, refraining her from walking away. Placing his fingers under her chin, he lifted her head.

"For the records, I was making sure that your skin got better." Came her defence. "Apparently not, I should've frozen you instead."

"You wouldn't dare, Kaere." The redhead smirked, moving to cup her cheeks. "If you did, you wouldn't get to see the final result."

"Of what, the sunburn?" Elsa raised an eyebrow. "Would that be wrinkles? I heard Olaf mentioned it once. Maybe some wrinkles would suit you."

He dramatically gasped. "Take that back!"

"No." This time it was her turn to smirk. "But I can be wrong." She stood on her tip toes and placed one hand at the back of his head, playing with his auburn hair. With a small tug, she pulled him in for a kiss.

Elsa knew what he meant, but she didn't want to admit it out loud. The crimson colour returned on her pale face, as a mental image formed inside her head. _So much for trying to not picture the gorgeously tanned Admiral._


	8. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 5: We're cool in the summer

Elsa adored the feeling of waking up in her lover’s arms, but when the weather was too hot? Eh, not so much.

It was the heat of the afternoon that woke her up from her slumber. She groaned, trying to pry a pair of strong arms, which closely held her from behind, from around her torso. There was plenty of room in her king-sized bed, and she rolled farther from him. Lying on her back, Elsa then removed the blanket, and conjured up a camisole to cover her bare body. She closed her eyes, trying to go back to sleep, despite knowing that it was probably lunch time, but it seemed like the humidity wanted to keep her awake.

“I hate it!” The Snow Queen muttered, before waving her hand to form a flurry cloud above her. The gentle caress from the snowflakes over her skin was wonderful, and she smiled in contentment. “Much better.” And sleep claimed her, once again.

Elsa didn’t know how long she’d fallen back to sleep, but the next thing she knew was a slight pressure on her chest, which made it hard to breathe. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked down to see a mass of auburn head lying on her chest, an arm was draped over her stomach. Scowling, the blonde shook his shoulder.

“Hans,” she called, gently at first. Shoving harder, she repeated, “Hans, wake up!”

She heard him muttering something under his breath, but there was no sign of him waking up. Sighing, Elsa tried to pry his arm away from her. Not that she hated it, but the way their bodies pressed together only produced more heat, and the pressure on her breast was making it worse.

“Hans!” This time she knew not to be gentle. “Hans, please! You’re heavy.”

Any other day, in the right weather, she would gladly cradle him close, but not that day. She knew their long journey on the previous day was to blame, but right at the moment, she couldn’t care less.

“You’re so comfortable.” Came his sleepy murmur.

“I know I am, but I also need to breathe.” Elsa sighed. “Please?”

Reluctantly, the Admiral moved away. He went to lay beside her, with his head on her pillow. Taking a deep breath, Elsa then rolled over. She turned to him only to see him staring at her with a sleepy gaze. A small smile played on his lips. It seemed as if the fallen snowflakes against his bare torso didn’t bother him at all.

“Morning, Kaere.” He greeted huskily, baritone voice thick with sleep. “Did you sleep well?”

Elsa pouted, staring at him with narrow eyes. Finding the gesture adorable, Hans leaned in to peck her pursed lips. It was brief, but it was enough to annoy her. Her brows furrowed in annoyance.

“In case you haven’t noticed, it’s afternoon.” She shortly said. “Also, it’s too hot, and you’re not making it any better.”

“Aww, is the Snow Queen grumpy in this fine morning?” He smirked, still gazing at her. “Sorry, I mean, afternoon. Yes, I haven’t noticed. How could I, when I can’t take my eyes off this beautiful goddess?”

Hans could talk his way out of almost everything, this fact she should remember. With his messy bedhead, sleepy gaze, and silver tongue, Elsa found herself unable to keep her lips pursed. Lying on her back and trying to focus on the small winter cloud under the canopy, she tried to bite back a smile.

“You know resistance would get you nowhere, huh, Kaere?” He was now lying on his side, with his head rested on his propped arm. His words were teasing her to the core.

“I don’t do resistance.” It was a lie, just like the first time she figured out her complicated feelings for him, which now had a name. Turning her head, Elsa raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you cold? It’s snowing.”

“I’m aware.” He replied, without taking his eyes off hers. “But in this kind of weather, you should share your way in keeping cool.”

“You mean this cloud?” The corner of her lips tugged upwards, as she rested one hand on his chest. A thin layer of frost began to spread. “Or this?”

“Both.” 

His sleepy gaze fell on her mauve lips. They looked so inviting, and he found himself gulping. Without hesitation, he captured those lips with his own, as he moved on top of her. The ice dissipated into the thin air, and Hans roamed his hand over her clothed side, feeling the slight bump of her healed scar. Kissing him back, she waved her hand to dismiss the cloud. His kisses trailed down to her jaw, oh so slowly, and she moaned That was when someone decided to barge in without knocking.

“Oh, my God!”

Hans pulled away abruptly, pulling the blanket up to cover himself. Being caught in the queen’s sister’s chamber was the last thing he wanted.

“Hans, I thought you’re in the room next door?” Anna folded her arms across her chest, as she stood by the door with a frown.

But before the flushing Admiral could reply, Elsa quickly got up and strolled towards her sister. “Anna!” She casually greeted her sister, as if nothing happened.

“Don’t Anna me!” Anna retorted. “The door wasn’t locked, what if someone else came in and reported this to one of the councilmen?”

Admitting her carelessness, Elsa’s gaze fell. “Sorry.”

Anna pressed her lips in a straight line, before extending an arm to hold her sister. “It’s okay. Just, be more careful next time.” The queen smiled. “Oh, and since it’s way past the lunch time, you two can go to the kitchen and ask Olina to make something for you. I hope you don’t mind.” She looked back and forth between the couple.

“We don’t!” Hans replied.

“Great! I’ll leave you to it.” Patting her sister’s shoulder for one last time, the queen added, “Oh, and since I’d be busy for the rest of the day, is it okay to reschedule our game night tomorrow?" 

Elsa smiled knowingly. "Of course. You have duties to attend to, I completely understand." Unknown to her, Anna caught the Admiral's gaze and nodded briefly.

"Great, I'll see you at dinner." Anna pecked her sister's cheek, and turned to the redhead sitting on the bed. "Oh, and Admiral, you might want to wear something to hide your neck." She smirked and winked when she noticed his flushing cheeks.

Once Anna left, Elsa pushed the door closed and leaned against it. Her blue eyes widened, realising what her little sister had just implied, before she burst out laughing.

"Very funny indeed, Kaere."

Hans tried to sound annoyed, but to no avail. He grabbed his shirt from the floor, and put on his breeches. With a pile of clothes in his arms, he made his way towards the former queen.

"So, meet me here in half an hour?" Elsa smiled at him, thumb rubbing circles on his cheek.

"Certainly, Your Highness." He leaned in to kiss her gently.

* * *

It was almost two hours later when the couple found themselves down at a small dining room that was connected to the kitchen, just finishing lunch. Empty plates were stacked up neatly, waiting to be picked up by any of the kitchen staffs later. Apparently, Queen Anna gave most of the staff and servants a break before it was time for them to prepare for dinner. _How kind of her_ , Elsa thought. Sure she had done a similar thing during her reign, just not as often as her sister.

"So, would you like to go back upstairs?" Elsa suggested, holding his hand on the wooden table. "Maybe we can see Jensen or Olaf? Olaf did say he has a new trivia for us." The corner of her lips curved into a half smile.

On the way to the kitchen, they bumped into the talking snowman, who was so eager to see them. Olaf suggested that they should go on a picnic, but as much as they liked the idea, the cool spare dining room down in the kitchen was a much better option in such weather. So, Elsa politely declined, promising that they could catch up later and would love to hear the new trivia he had discovered.

"I don't know, honestly." Hans sighed, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. He wanted to spend more time with her, besides, there's a chance that his surprise plan would be blown if they decided to explore the upstairs before Anna could finish.

"Then, what do you want to do?" Elsa raised an eyebrow, cerulean eyes were studying him closely, as the Admiral looked around the place. She watched as he smiled.

"I can make us some drinks, you know." He suggested. "If there's a bottle of whiskey somewhere, we can make use of it."

The blonde chuckled. "Whiskey in this kind of weather? How about some ice cream instead?"

"We can always have some ice cream later, Elsa." He spoke softly. "Trust me with this one."

"Fine." Deep down, she was curious about what he had in mind. Maybe drinking some cocktails wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Great!"

Elsa watched with interest as Hans prepared the ingredients. A big bottle of whiskey was placed beside two double old fashioned glasses. Once everything was settled, he began to crush a sugar cube, some water, and a few mint leaves he stole from the pantry on each glass.

"Can you please conjure some crushed ice?"

With an eyebrow raised, she waved her hand and filled the glasses with ice.  
"Thank you, love!" 

Hans poured the booze evenly, before giving each glass a proper stir. Garnishing it with mint sprigs, he then pushed one glass towards her, and served the other glass for himself.

Elsa had her fair share of alcoholic beverages, like champagne and wine, but a whiskey cocktail? Her gaze was focused on the light brown liquor, as she lifted her glass up and gave it a sniff. It did smell like a fine whiskey, but not too strong. She looked up to see him smiled, holding his own glass.

"You may give it a go, Kaere!"

His emerald eyes were enough to encourage her, and she took a sip from her glass. Elsa was stunned, not expecting the cooling sensation to follow. She only drank whiskey on Christmas, and although she knew that the booze can be enjoyed throughout the year, it was her first time drinking whiskey in summer. The drink tasted sweet and minty with a hint of oakyness from the bourbon, and Elsa found herself taking another sip.

Hans smiled gladly, knowing that she enjoyed the drink. Finally, he could show her one of the things he had learnt from years of travelling before he was summoned back to the Southern Isles. His experience with various drinks from various bars he had been in led him to learning how to make cocktails.

"Do you like it?"

Elsa smiled ear to ear, her glass was almost empty. "Like it?" She raised an eyebrow. "I love it! This is so good!"

It didn't take her long until she downed the entire glass. She was feeling very refreshed with a lingering warmth in her stomach. With the newfound confidence, Elsa grabbed the bottle of whiskey, in which the action caught Hans' attention.

"Elsa, no!" Before he could react, the former queen already poured a generous amount of liquor. That was when he knew it wouldn't end well.

She took another sip and let out a giggle. "What? You think I can't handle it?"

Hans raised his eyebrows, amused by the sudden change of mood. His own drink was barely reaching half of the glass, yet she had poured herself another. Sitting down next to her, he set the glass down with a small thud. He wanted to tell her that pouring herself more whiskey would only make it stronger, but knowing Elsa, she must have known that.

“You know, I have never been day-drinking before. My alcohol intake is limited to the ballroom or dining room.” She rested her chin on her hand that was propped on the table. “Oh wait! I have, actually, once." She grinned at the memory. 

"It was from years ago, before my first audience with the people in the throne room. I had a shot of rum, just a bit," she paused, showing him a narrow gap in between her thumb and index finger, "but," she emphasised, "it was enough. Oh, don't tell Anna! She will disapprove."

The faint tint on her nose was enough to tell Hans that Elsa, perhaps, had too much fun.

"You're tipsy, Elsa." Hans sighed, feeling at fault for not stopping her earlier. He was there to make her some refreshments and not to get her drunk. If Anna knew about it, she would think he was a bad influence for Elsa.

"Pfft, please." She snorted, slapping his arm gently. "I haven't felt this good for months! Okay, probably not, but this thing you make, Hansy, it’s good!” Despite getting even more light headed by the minute, Elsa took another sip from her glass, and down everything in a big gulp.

“Thank you.” He sheepishly smiled. “I got the recipe from when I visited this land in the west...”

Hans began to tell her about one of his adventures, the first time he learned about the drink, but with the good amount of alcohol in her system, it was rather hard for her to focus. Elsa blinked a couple of times, trying to ease the light throbbing in her head. Her gaze landed on his lips, suddenly finding them inviting. The way he spoke as he retold the tale, so animatedly, made his emerald eyes look more mesmerising than usual. Her attention shifted to the small growing facial hair on his cheeks, a proof that he hadn’t shaved for four days now. In her head, Elsa tried to picture how rough he would look had he grown a full beard, and something inside her stirred with excitement.

“Elsa?” He stared at her with a raised eyebrow. “Elsa!”

“Oh.” Realising that she had been caught getting lost in her own thoughts, Elsa giggled. “Sorry. I just, I don’t know, I was imagining how you look with a beard.” Boldly, she reached out to stroke his cheek, feeling the sideburn. “Oh, yes, definitely.” Her blue eyes were big with wonder.

The Admiral, intrigued by her boldness, covered the hand that was cradling his face with his. “What makes you think so?”

“I don’t know, but I like it.” She leaned closer, biting her lower lip. It seemed like the liquid courage had worked. “Can you grow it, please?”

“We will see about that.” He smirked, playing along with her flirtiness. “Do you really think I’d look good with a beard?” Sure, he had thought about growing his facial hair, but he hadn’t really considered it.

“Is that even a question? You always look good, Hansy.” She winked, then looking back and forth between his eyes and his lips. “You know how else you look good?”

“Hmm?”

“When you’re undressed,” she paused, “covered in nothing but skin.”

His eyes widened in surprise at her confession. His breathing got heavier when she rested her other hand on his thigh, drawing even closer. Within the close proximity, her breath smelled like whiskey, and immediately he noted that the woman, who was about to straddle her, was more intoxicated than what meets the eye.

“Your Highness!” 

Footsteps came approaching, followed by a female voice. Hans was alert, trying to put Elsa back to her seat, not wanting any staff to find them in such a position. Deciding that they should leave the place, he helped her back to her feet, silently hoping the cook wouldn’t notice that Her Highness was, in fact, not sober. It was newfound information for him that she might only be tipsy (and not yet drunk) after two glasses of booze she finished in under thirty minutes.

“Come on, Kaere, act normal.” He murmured, holding her stumbling form by the waist.

“Ah, there you are, Your Highness!” It was Miss Olina, the cook. She came approaching with her usual glee. “Queen Anna was wondering if you’d like to have a chocolate cake for dessert tonight.”

With cheeks flushed and head throbbed, Elsa held onto him for support. “Olina, hi!” She greeted rather cheerfully. From behind her, he could see the surprised look on the cook’s face. Elsa then added, “Thanks for the lunch! It was delicious, and the lamb was well seasoned. Well done!”

Olina blushed, before curtseying, “Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Oh, no, no, no! No need to curtsey, it’s just me!” Letting go of his arm, Elsa took a step forward, as if she tried to reach out to her, only to stumble in the process.

Hans, with his quick reflexes, caught her in time and pulled her in his hold.

"Your Highness, are you alright?"

Not trusting Elsa with the answer, the Admiral decided to step in. "She will be fine. She got a little dizzy, I guess?"

Elsa didn't look dizzy. The colour pink tinted her cheeks, and her smile was still there. But she played along, not even wanting Anna to find out about her day-drinking.

"Yes, I am." She replied, a little too cheerful. "As for chocolate cake, yes, yes, I'd love to! Thank you."

"Certainly, Your Highness."

Hans helped her walk to the door that connected the dining room to the kitchen, but not before flashing the older brunette an apologetic smile. He knew that the two empty old fashioned glasses would give a clue that yes, they had been drinking, and he wished the cook wouldn't reported it to the queen.

Once they reached the ground floor and realised that they were the only ones in the deserted corridor, Elsa tried to wiggle free from his hold, and surprisingly, she succeeded. Giggling, she gave him a little shove, before taking off.

"Come and get me!"

Her laughter echoed in the empty halls, and the sound brought a smile on his face. It might be the liquid courage or just her playful personality, but Hans still found it adorable. He didn't immediately go after her, letting her have the fun. It was when he saw where she was heading, did he break into a sprint.

"Elsa, no!"

 _No, she can't find out about the surprise so soon!_ It was his thought, as he prevented her from barging into a certain room. _So much for trying to keep two eyes on her._


	9. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 6: Lettin off steam

There are ways to let off some steam, and a snowball fight in the middle of summer is one of them, at least that's what Olaf said.

After breakfast, the snowman suggested the idea with glee, almost instantly backed by Hans and Kristoff. Whether it was the Admiral's way to make amends with the snowman or it was just his mischievous nature, Elsa didn't know. Next thing she knew, the trio managed to convince her—Anna had a meeting with the council that morning, so Elsa couldn't really escape.

The castle garden had become a winter wonderland in the middle of summer. The four of them were split into two groups—Elsa and Kristoff, Olaf and Hans. In mere half an hour, their laughter echoed in the open space, not caring if any of the staff glanced at them. No foreign dignitaries were present, and the council members were at a meeting with the queen. But what they had forgotten was the fact that the balcony of the meeting room was facing the garden.

"Kristoff, you aim for Olaf!" Elsa told the Prince Consort, as they hid behind an ice barrier. It was the deciding round. "I'll aim for Hans."

"Okay." Kristoff nodded, before throwing a snowball at the snowman, who couldn't even hide his bum behind the snow barrier Hans had built.

"Oh, no! I'm dead." Olaf gasped dramatically, before falling onto his back. "You're all alone, Hans."

"What? No! Come on, Olaf!" 

Hans reached out for his twig hand, only to have it detached from the snowman. He was too busy frowning that he didn't realise a giant snowball came flying at him. Olaf, who noticed it, let out a dramatic scream, eyes widened while pointing his other twig hand at the incoming attack. The Admiral thought that he was being his dramatic self—maybe he had rubbed himself off on the snowman, he didn't know—and when he turned, it was too late.

Buried under the snow, Hans couldn't help but remember the similar experience from years ago, only this time, he didn't fall straight into a pile of horse manure. He tried to move, despite the biting cold over his cotton shirt and waistcoat. He heard familiar chuckles, followed by coos. _Who is she laughing at?_

"Oh, hello, little guy!" It was Olaf, voice soft and child-like, as if he was addressing a newborn baby. "New brothers and sisters!"

Curious, the Admiral used all his strength to move the snow off him, before he felt something moving. He quickly got up and brushed the remaining snow, which had stained his dark purple waistcoat and white shirt. A small creature ran between his feet, followed by an excited Olaf, which of course was sensible enough to not mirror what the living snowball just did. His green eyes followed the creature he recognised as a snowgie—wait, there were more. 

"We won!" Elsa did a high five with Kristoff, before turning to the confused Admiral. Smiling, she came approaching, then wrapping her arms around his torso. "How—" But before he could continue, Elsa replied, "They came out from the giant snowball, I guess I was too excited I accidentally made some."

Turns out, excitement could also create lives—or living snowballs. So much for saying that snowball fights are for children. Shaking his head, Hans wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer to him. He pressed his lips on her hairline, and she slightly leaned back with her hand resting on his chest. The couple stayed like that, as they watched Olaf and Kristoff trying so hard to keep those seven newly created snowgies from climbing up the balcony. 

"Should we help them?" Hans murmured.

"You go first, and I'll watch." She teased.

The former Prince spun her around, so she was facing him. "Would there be any reward, Your Highness?" An eyebrow arched.

Elsa winked, then poking the tip of his nose with her finger. “I’ll figure something out.”

Laughter rang in Anna's ear as she tried to focus on Lord Andersen's suggestion about a new regulation for some tenants in Arendelle Plaza. Yes, her gaze might be focused on the older man, but her mind was elsewhere. She wanted to join them so badly, yet her duty as a Queen of Arendelle refrained her from that. _Is this what Elsa felt back then? Ugh, this is horrible!_ Then again, she needed to wait patiently. Just one meeting, then she would be off.

When the laughter died down, a brief silence came. Anna smiled in contentment, knowing finally she could focus. She gave a nod of approval for the new regulation, which could possibly enhance the tenants' wellbeing.

The meeting proceeded, and the queen's attention was on the last topic they should discuss: a slight change in the Arendellian Navy. Anna smiled, gladly doing a favour for her sister's happiness. It began from her own idea, and she told Hans about it. She couldn't believe she was suggesting it in the first place, but she would do anything to keep Elsa happy, as happy as Anna often saw her whenever the Admiral was around.

"Alright, so it's settled, isn't it, Captain?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Captain Larsson nodded.

"Very well, then. Meeting adjourned."

Anna rubbed her palms in relief. She had done her part, and she couldn't wait until the following week. Nodding at a few councilmen, from the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a familiar creature smiling at her from the window. _A snowgie?_ She thought. _Why would there be any—oh, is Elsa alright?_ The queen began to think of the worst. The last time those snow babies roaming around insinuating chaos was when Elsa got fever. Without waiting for the rest of the councilmen to pile out of the meeting room, Anna made an exit, flashing an apologetic smile on her way out.

"Your Majesty!" She heard Freya, Jensen's nanny, calling. "Queen Anna!"

Anna turned around to see the nanny curtseyed briefly, before walking closer.

"Is everything alright, Freya?"

"The prince is awake and refuses to go back to sleep, Your Majesty."

An idea popped in her head. With a smile, she followed Freya towards the nursery.

"Help me prepare the prince with light clothing, if you don't mind." Anna beamed. "We're heading out."

Anna ignored the surprised look Freya gave her. Even after she became the queen, the habit of asking if any of the staff could help her stayed with her.

"Of course I don't mind, Ma'am." Freya smiled.

Moments later, Prince Jensen was all dressed up in his white onesie with some lacy details on the torso to hide the buttons. He was now a big baby, attached to his mother's hip, while babbling. The energy radiating from him was enough to show that she was mama's boy. When the mother and son stepped into the garden to join the others, Jensen let out a squeal in delight, but not with the queen.

The grass was covered with snow, and so were the bushes. Two grown men were running after a few snowgies, each in a different direction. They got help from a talking snowman, who looked rather pleased than distressed.

"Papa!" Jensen squealed, reaching out one hand towards the Prince Consort, who was too busy to notice.

Anna took a deep breath, realising that it was more chaotic than she'd imagined. Normally, she would want to join them in snowgie chasing, but now that she was the one wearing a crown—figuratively and literally, she had an image to keep up. Her turquoise eyes scanned the surrounding, until she caught the sight of her sister, smiling at the shenanigan as she found a shelter in the pavilion. 

"Elsa!"

At the familiar voice, Elsa turned to see Anna coming approaching, while carrying Jensen. Her blue eyes were glinting with joy at the sight of her nephew—her little prince.

"Anna!" She said, before leaning in to kiss the prince's reddish cheek. "Hello, my Prince. You're finally awake, huh?"

Jensen stared at his aunt with glee. His hand went to grab a few strands of blonde hair, as he gave a little tug. Aunt Elsa had always been his favourite person, aside from Mama and Papa, obviously. Elsa gave a little yelp, but she didn't mind at all.

"Elsa, are you okay?" Anna asked, worrily put the back of her hand on her sister's forehead. "You don't have a fever, do you?"

"I'm fine, Anna." Her mauve lips curved into a smile, and instantly, Anna withdrew her hand. "I was just excited, I accidentally created some snowgies."

"Thank goodness!" Anna breathed in relief. Her attention was now back at the chaos. Kristoff managed to gather two in his arms, but from the look on his face, he was determined to catch more. The queen surely enjoyed the sight, especially with him not knowing that the meeting had ended. She knew the Prince Consort meant well. "Shall we go and help them?"

"Nah, just wait for a little while." Elsa smirked mischievously, then brushing some invisible dust off her lilac skirt. That morning, Hans surprised her with a lilac dress, quite similar to the one she had when she was queen. When and how he got it, she didn't know.

"Nice dress, Elsa." Anna smiled knowingly. "I'm glad you like it."

Elsa's eyes widened in surprise. "Do you happen to know anything, Anna?"

"Probably," Anna half shrugged, "or not."

But before Elsa could respond, she heard the familiar distressed call. "Kaere, a little help please?"

Shaking her head, the former queen flashed her sister a smile. "Well, it seems like we have no choice but to help them." From her spot, she waved her hands and the snow vanished into thin air. A few snowgies that were formerly hiding in the snow, were now circling around Hans' feet.

"Come on, then!" Anna beamed. She showered the little prince with kisses, before she took off. "Let's go to Papa!" The gesture was enough to make Jensen giggle.

Her sister's glee was contagious, Elsa knew that, and it seemed like her own nephew inherited that trait from Anna. Elsa waited for another second, before stepping out under the sun. She blinked a few times, becoming more aware of the sudden change of temperature, and her eyes felt like burning. She shrugged it off, thinking it was nothing more than her tiredness that began to kick in. _It's probably the heat._

Either way, Elsa needed not to worry about it, for she was surrounded by her family and they had some bonding activities to do.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 7: Free

“Elsa, you’re burning up.”

It was four in the afternoon when they decided to find shelter in the pavilion. Tired after another snowball fight and a game of hide and seek, the group gladly enjoyed some lemonade Gerda and Olina had prepared. The weather was hot, but strangely, Elsa felt cold. That was until she swayed and grabbed Hans’ arm for a support. He immediately caught her and wrapped an arm around her. The close proximity allowed him to feel her unusual body temperature.

“I’m fine.” She sighed, with half lidded eyes and stupid smile, Elsa rested her head against his shoulder.

Sensing worry in the Admiral’s words, Anna turned from her son, who was asleep in his father’s arms. Approaching the couple, her brows knitted with concern as she pressed the back of her hand on her sister’s forehead. “You’re not fine, Elsa. Let’s get you to bed, okay?”

“But-”

“No buts, I’ll send Kristoff to get the doctor.” Anna gently told her. But before the queen could link arms with Elsa, a hand stopped her.

“Don’t worry, Anna.” Hans said, before scooping the Snow Queen up in his strong arms. “I can carry her.”

Moments later, Elsa found herself sitting on her bed. A knitted yellow and orange shawl was draped over her shoulders, covering her new lilac dress. After the doctor left, Elsa took the medicine with Anna’s help. That was when Olaf suggested to bring in the snowgies and told everyone to let her rest. Since Anna had some paperworks waiting for her, and Kristoff was needed in the planning to renovate the stables, they obliged. Only someone decided to stay behind.

“You don’t have to stay, you know.” She smiled, before gesturing at the snowgies surrounding her on the bed. “I already have some company.”

Hans shook his head, taking a step closer to sit on the bed, facing her. He felt a slight chill as a snowgie climbed onto his lap.

“I want to take care of you.” He fondly said. “Do you really think I’d listen to Olaf and leave you with them?”

“No, but I’m sure Olaf means well.” Elsa grinned, gently poking the snowgie next to her, earning herself a giggle. “They have been behaving quite nicely, no?”

“Eh,” Hans almost grimaced, remembering what happened earlier, “well, sort of, only whenever the mother is around.”

“The mother?” She raised a brow.

His cheeks flushed once he realised what he’d just implied. “I mean you.”

Hans stared back at the beaming snowgie that was sitting beside Elsa, slightly amused by the creature.

“Hmm, the mother?” Elsa smiled knowingly. She looked down at the snowgie nesting in the Admiral’s lap. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Hans took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. A small smile played on his lips, as his gaze landed on her naked ring finger. Not only did it remind him of the big surprise he had been working on, but it also made him think of the possibilities. Hans had always been so calculating. His ability in analysing the situation as well as the outcomes of certain actions was what won Arendelle the war. But the situation he was in was no war.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

The question did startle the Admiral, breaking his train of thoughts. Looking up, he opened his mouth to come up with an excuse, until someone abruptly swung the door open. The couple turned to the door and saw Olaf return, balancing a tray with a cup of tea and a small plate of biscuits on one hand. Noticing the struggle, Hans got up and gave him a hand. 

“Ah, thank you!” Olaf said, before beaming at the two snowgies rolling around on the bed, “Oh, hello, Charles, Edgar!”

“Olaf!” Elsa smiled. “What brings you here?”

Placing the tray on the nightstand, Hans then took a seat beside her. He passed her the cup, which she took gracefully. After muttering a quick thank you, Elsa took a sip.

“Oh, just some snacks. Anna told Gerda to bring it to you, but I volunteered!” Olaf said, climbing onto the bed. “Are the snowgies helpful?”

Elsa smiled, handing the cup back to Hans, before facing the smiling snowman. “You mean well, Olaf, but-”

“Oh, I get it!” The snowman cut her off, looking back and forth between Hans and Elsa. “Anna did say that you may need some time alone with Hans, so I’ll leave you to it.”

“But-”

Olaf shushed her, as he climbed down and ushered the snow babies towards the door. “I’ll see you later Elsa, Hans!” And after waving one last time, he closed the door with a soft thud.

Once they were left alone, Elsa stole a brief glance at the Admiral and let out a chuckle. “Olaf really is something.”

“He is.” That he could agree. He smiled, reaching up to brush back some blonde strands from her forehead. When he realised that she was still burning up, he frowned. “You should get some rest, Kaere.”

Elsa blinked. Just like earlier, her eyes still felt slightly burning. She should have seen it coming and told Anna or Hans about it. Instead, she went along with Olaf’s suggestion to play hide and seek. Charade game night was canceled according to Anna, and Elsa felt responsible for that. _But it is what it is._

“Come on, Kaere.” 

When Hans saw her unmoving state, he decided to help her lying down on her bed. His back rested against the headboard, with an arm curled above her pillow, cradling her head closely. Elsa looked up to him, before she shifted and patted the empty spot beside her.

“Please?” She smiled, staring at him through her thick lashes.

How could he resist, when she was this adorable? Removing his waistcoat, and unbuckling his boots, Hans finally joined her. He pulled the blanket up to her chin and made sure that she was comfortable, before lying on his side. She snuggled closer to him, her hand wandered under the duvet to find his. Lying face to face, Hans reached out his free hand to stroke her cheek, smiling as he watched her eyes droop. She was still warm, and he couldn’t help but worry.

“What did the doctor say?” He asked, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. He wasn’t there when the doctor checked on her, and he didn’t get an opportunity to ask Anna.

Her eyes fluttered open, as her gaze softened. “He said it’s probably because of the heat, the constant exposure to the sun or something.”

His face fell, realising that he was the reason why she got a fever. Bringing their entwined hands, he gently pressed his lips on her knuckles. Hans closed his eyes, savouring the close proximity.

“I’m sorry.” His words, dripping with sincerity, came in a whisper. “I’m so sorry.”

“Hans,” Elsa called. She let go of his hand, and went to cup his cheeks. “Hans, it’s okay.” When she saw those emerald eyes, her lips curved into an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry.”

The Admiral held her hand, that was cradling his head. He kissed the heel of he palm oh so gently, turning her cheeks crimson.

“For what?”

She half shrugged, blinking slowly. “For being a burden.”

He frowned at those words. “Elsa, no. You are never a burden, okay? You are sick, and that is on me.” He leaned in to kiss her forehead. “I love you, and I’m here to look after your wellbeing.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he quickly pressed his finger to her lips, silencing her.

“Come here, Kaere.” 

Hans pulled her closer, and she rested her head on his chest. Her hand curled over his beating heart as she made herself comfortable in his embrace. Sighing in contentment, Elsa closed her eyes. The steady rhythm of his heart beat was lulling her to sleep.

“I love you.” She murmured. And soon, the light pressure on her hairline and his gentle murmur were the last thing on her mind before sleep claimed her.

Once again, Hans was left alone with his thoughts. He looked down and saw how peaceful she looked. Nuzzling her blonde hair, he let her signature scent fill his senses, something like vanilla with a hint of mint, and he felt at ease. She was his safe haven, after all.

His mind wandered back to his plans in giving her a big surprise. Tomorrow was supposed to be the day they came back from the Enchanted Forest, meaning that the surprise day would be on the day after. _What if Elsa is not ready and thinks that it's too soon? Would he be ready for any kind of rejection?_ He wondered about the worst thing that could happen. Deep down, he just wished that everything would go as planned, just like Anna and Honeymaren said.

Combing his fingers through her hair, he recalled how she told him that she was a burden. What made her think that way, he didn't know. If he were to describe Elsa with one word, surely a burden would be one of the last he could think of.

“Oh, Elsa, you could never be a burden to me.” He paused, pressing his lips on her closed eye. “All I want is to care for you.”

And with that thought alone, Hans, too, joined her in the dream land.


	11. Chapter Ten - End

"I don't know if I can do this."

Hans sighed as he put down the small box on the wooden table, pushing it closer to the queen's direction.

From her seat behind the desk, Anna gave him a look. She raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Would you care to elaborate?"

The former prince pinched the bridge of his nose, before turning to face the queen.

"I don't think she'll say yes." He replied, his hands clasped behind his back as he stood up straight. "We haven't been courting for that long, and the past we shared—"

"Yes, yes, I'm aware." Anna calmly interjected. Her hands were in her lap, eyes darting from the box towards him. "But you seemed so eager and determined a week ago, what changes?"

His jaw clenched, for the vivid memory of his dream last night came crashing at him, flooding his senses. It had been two months since the last time the nightmare occurred, _about him, standing in the pool of blood on the slowly melting fjord, gazing at a pair of dull blue eyes that stared back at him. Elsa was dead, and he would become king like he wanted. The ice beneath him thawed, and he fell into the cold water._ That was when he woke up, gasping for air, only to see Elsa, alive and murmuring sweet nothings to his ear. Realising that it was all just a dream, he pulled Elsa into his embrace, muttering how sorry he was.

It was a vision of what could've been, had he succeeded in ending the Eternal Winter by going for the source of magic. Even after years of punishment and redemption, the guilt was still there, eating him alive. Had it not been for Elsa's comfort, Hans wouldn't have known how to keep going.

"Hans?"

"I was a monster." He gulped. "Maybe I still am, knowing that some people still don't trust me. And for that, I know I'm not worthy of your sister's love, or anyone else's."

"You were." Anna grabbed the small box and a roll of parchment, then getting up from her chair. "Hans, you'd wronged me. I won't sugarcoat it. You left me to die in that room, you deceived me, and you were out to kill my sister. I admit, I took great pleasure when I punched you in the face."

The whole time, Hans didn't even flinch. He knew what he had done wrong, he was aware of that, and he would forever regret it.

"So I've noticed, even after all those dark months, some people still refused to look you in the eye, not wanting to acknowledge you as a person." She walked over and stopped before the tall redhead. "I did that too when you first came here after years. Elsa was the one insisting to lock you up, but I didn't see the point. There was something different about you."

When a roll of parchment was offered to him, Hans frowned. "Why are you doing this, Anna?"

"As much as I'm doing this for Elsa, I also believe you're not the same person who came to Arendelle with an ambition to become king." Anna spoke, her gaze showed kindness. "I can see that now, and it's not only because you won us war.

"That Prince Hans of The Southern Isles, who had a miserable childhood, dying to prove himself to his father and twelve older brothers, who attempted to marry into the throne to become king and was willing to commit a murder to fulfil such an ambition, was a failure. He wasn't born evil, yet he had failed to stop himself from being blinded by ambitions, and his tragic past doesn't excuse what he did." She paused, thrusting the roll onto his grasp. "But the man standing before me right now is not him. I trust you understand what I mean, Vice Admiral." Anna smiled as she mentioned his new title.

There was a beat, before Hans asked in disbelief, "They approved?" He unrolled it and began to read its content, green eyes were scanning the words over and over again. 

"It was a long discussion with Captain Larsson, but apparently, some people already accept you as one of us, even Admiral Goran." She was relieved and worried at the same time. She knew Hans doubted himself, at least she had heard Elsa mentioned it to her a couple of times, but she also knew that the two of them—Elsa and Hans were madly in love with each other. All they needed was a little push. 

"Hans," Anna called, and immediately, his attention was on her.

"Thank you so much! I don't know what to say, this is," Hans beamed, "does Elsa know?"

"Not yet." The strawberry blonde smiled. "I figured you'll be the one telling her, as planned."

Realisation began to sink in and he pressed his lips in a tight line. "Right."

"You're doubting yourself, aren't you?" The queen studied him closely. "I see how you look at my sister, and how she looks back at you. I know Elsa, and I've never seen her being this happy—different kind of happy. You might not notice it, but she is glowing whenever she is with you. She cares about you, and I know you care about her, a lot, I may add."

"Do you really think so?"

Anna rolled her eyes in a playful manner. "I know so!" She pressed the small box gently on his hand, and gave him a little push. "Now go and propose to my sister. You already have my blessing, and that means you have one less thing to worry about."

The gesture from his, hopefully, future sister in law brought a smile on his face. Hans glanced at her, feeling grateful for her kindness. He firmly held the box in his right hand. The queen was no longer that naive little princess, who would marry a man she just met because she was desperate for love. She had grown into a compassionate and caring Queen of Arendelle, whose prosperous reign was equal to her predecessor, her sister. Whether it was motherhood or her kind nature, he didn't know.

"Thank you, Anna." Hans didn't know if hugging the queen was the best move, so he went to shake her hand. But Anna, sensing his hesitation, pulled him in a quick hug.

"No, thank Elsa." She said, holding him by his shoulders. "I might be the one who opened the door, but she was the one who let you in."

The former prince nodded. The sisters' kindness was obviously contagious, and it was a part of several reasons why he wanted to change for the better.

"But," Anna said, her tone turned dramatically, "if you hurt my sister, I won't hesitate to punch you in the face, again, and I'll make sure that your nose wouldn't be the only thing that's broken." 

Hans gulped. Of course he knew better than causing any pain on the Snow Queen. He nodded.

"Now, go!" Anna smiled, pushing him towards the door. "You have a date to attend. Also, it's a perfect place for a date in this castle, so might as well, not spoil it."

"Okay, okay."

"Oh, and Hans?" Just when he was about to close the door, she added, "welcome to the family."

* * *

Hans couldn't stop smiling. A sudden surge of confidence boosted through him, as he made his way towards Elsa's room. With a ring in his pocket, a bouquet of her favourite flowers and a new dress for her in his grasp, he began to think of how their day would proceed. If Anna was right, and Elsa said yes, Hans would be the luckiest man alive, he knew that for sure. Standing before the wooden door, he composed himself. As he turned the bronze handle, her heard voices talking.

"Oh, I don't know what he is planning, but I heard him talking to Anna about dresses and flowers." It was Olaf. "I hope he is not planning something bad."

Hans was frozen on the spot. Did the snowman think that he had a bad intention towards Elsa? He knew Olaf was probably not making any sense, but it was enough to make him think of the worst.

Elsa chuckled. "Olaf, why would he plan something bad with dresses and flowers? It sounds like something romantic, but I can be wrong."

It was a relief, but gone was the confidence he brought along as the next question came up.

"You said he had a nightmare, Elsa, what was that about?"

There was a silence, thick and hostile, from where he was standing. Doubts began to cloud his mind, as he wondered what she might be thinking. Not wanting to wait any longer, he pushed the door open. 

Her beautiful smile was the first thing that greeted him. Still dressed in her nightgown, Elsa looked radiant, as she sat on the bed with a breakfast tray in her lap. Olaf beamed and waved at him.

"I wish they would allow me to join you for breakfast, since I'm feeling much better now." Elsa sighed when she saw him walk over. "What do you have there?"

Hans flashed her a smile, settling the neatly folded dress over the chair nearby and put the flowers in her grasp, before leaning in to kiss her lips.

"Presents." He let out, sitting on the bed next to her.

Olaf nudged her, "See? I told you!" The snowman then collected her tray, before getting back on his feet. "I think I'll leave you both to it. See you later!"

Once the bedroom door was closed, Hans put his hand on her thigh and squeezed it lightly. At the gesture, she let out a giggle, before shoving his hand off. "Hans, no!" She smiled gently, cradling the bouquet close to her chest. "Thank you." Fondly, Elsa admired the bouquet, inhaling the familiar scent. "It's lovely."

"I'm actually planning something for the both of us." He stated, tucking her loose blonde strands behind her ear.

Eagerly, her blue eyes widened with interest. "Really, what is it? Are we going to go sailing?"

Sailing was his previous plan, indeed, but since Elsa was only recovering from her fever, Hans decided that they should stay in. He didn't wish to cause her any more harm than he already did, although the rising temperature wasn't exactly his doing. Besides, if Elsa said yes to a lifetime with him, it means that they would _sail_ forever in holy matrimony.

"You'll see," was all his reply.

* * *

Moments later, Elsa and Hans were standing on the balcony at the back of the castle, facing the perfect view of the open sea. Anna was right, Hans thought, it was a perfect place for a date. A table for two was set up, with cakes, a teapot, two cups, and some boxes of chocolate were served on the table. A bouquet of heathers was placed in the middle.

Elsa could recall how many times she would go there in between meetings when she was queen, just to allow herself to think. She loved the view, the blueness of the ocean, and the gentle caress of the wind, they offered her comfort. It was rather quiet, even during the day, but at least she wasn't alone this time.

Hans held her close from behind, one hand was holding the railing, and the other was around her torso. His mind wandered back to the conversation he had with Anna. He would never forget her generosity in giving him the chance to prove himself that he was capable of growth—the chance not everyone would grant him. She allowed him to stay in Arendelle, to serve in the navy, so he could be close to the love of his life, despite the dark past they shared. Then he began to think of Elsa's silence when the topic about his nightmare was brought up.

"You're quiet." Elsa stirred in his embrace and turned to face him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Things." He said, before letting out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Elsa, I shouldn't have ruined it for you. We can have some tea and chocolates."

Hans was about to move to the table, when Elsa stopped him. "You didn't ruin anything at all. I was only wondering why you were quiet." She paused, eyes were never leaving his. "Would you like to talk about what's troubling you?"

"What makes you think it's troubling me?" It was a little defensive on his part.

Elsa frowned. "Your reaction right now is what." She blinked. "Is it your nightmare?"

She wondered what made him act so defensive. The past few days, Elsa noticed how he had been acting strange, and she was under the impression that he was hiding something, _but what? That couldn't have had anything to do with the recurring nightmare, could it?_

"Hans?"

Ignoring her, the redhead let go of her hand, before turning around. He pulled out a box from his pocket, admiring the diamond ring inside. Oh, how he wished everything was easier for him.

"You've been hiding something." It was loud and clear in his ear. "What is it?"

"Nothing." He muttered, still with his back facing her. Putting the box back into his pocket, Hans looked back.

Thoughts were running through her head, and some of them weren't pretty. "Are you doubting us?" 

"It's not that." Hans shook his head. The frown on his face deepened.

Elsa, growing frustrated as the second passed, looked away. Her cheeks were flushing as anger began to build up. "I can't believe you don't even trust me, especially with whatever it is you're hiding."

"It's not that simple, Elsa." He took a deep breath, rubbing his face in an equal frustration. "You don't understand."

"Then make me!" Elsa pressed, taking a step closer. 

Her fingertips were cold, as she tried to contain her powers from exploding. She breathed heavily, the storm in her chest was raging, but there was something in his emerald eyes—remorseful and sincere—as she held his gaze. Closing her eyes, Elsa tried to calm her mind. Anger was never a solution, and one of them should hold their ground if they wanted to carry on with the conversation. Perhaps what he needed was comfort.

"Hans," The former queen called, after another minute passed with silence. She looked up, staring at him with her blue eyes, while holding one hand out. "Come here."

When Hans took her hand, Elsa immediately pulled him into an embrace. She wounded her arms around his torso, resting her cheek against his shoulder. Gently, he returned the gesture and pressed a kiss on her temple. Nothing could top the feeling of holding each other close, getting lost in the comfort.

Closing his eyes, Hans breathed in her scent. Maybe asking her wouldn't hurt, he thought, and he shouldn't be selfish if he wanted to take their relationship one step ahead. And with a determination, he let out, "Kaere."

A beat.

"Yes?"

He took a deep breath, still holding her hand. "I need to tell you something."

Taking one step back, his knee bended slightly, and Elsa tried to stifle a gasp. _Is he going to propose?_ She thought, _is this what he has been hiding from me?_ Her pulse quickened, anticipating what was about to come. Elsa didn't see that coming, but for some reason, she was glad.

The former queen was no fool, and she frowned when she saw him stand up straight. She put two and two together, and realised that he had been doubting no one but himself. She knew about his nightmare, and how remorseful he had been. To see him looking unsure brought a pang on her chest. She couldn't wait any longer.

"Marry me." Elsa blurted out.

Stunned. Her words got him frozen on the spot. Hans stood there, dumbfounded. _Marry me._ Those words echoed in his mind, and he had to blink to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. _Did she just—_

"Hans?" She whispered, taking a step closer to cradle his head. "Are you—

But before she could continue, Hans captured her lips with his. Gone was the hesitation, the doubts that had been haunting him, as he got lost in the passion. Her lips were firmly pressed against his, as if she tried to give him a proper reassurance. He held her close by the waist, as he deepened the kiss, savouring the taste of her tongue, before they pulled away.

"Is that a yes?" She asked breathlessly, smiling ear to ear, pressing her forehead against his.

"Kaere," Hans couldn't contain the joy. He let go of her waist, and held her hand. With a surge of confidence, he got down on one knee. "Allow me to do it properly."

He pulled out the small diamond ring and held it up. 

"Elsa," he began, "I know I'm not worthy of your love," seeing the look of disapproval on her face, Hans gave her hand a gentle tug, "hear me out, please?"

"Okay." Her heart swelled inside her ribcage, and warmth overflowing in her body. She nodded.

"I know I'm not worthy of your love," he repeated, "forgiveness, even a second chance. What I've done in the past is unforgivable, and I'm accepting that.

"But you, Elsa, you have given me the chance to get to know you, and I'm grateful for that. Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and you are the kindest people I know. You have shown me kindness, and for that, I'm forever grateful. I love you, min Kaere, and nothing will ever change that. I've never felt this way before, and you don't know how hard it was to deny it. Because loving you feels so right, but also wrong at the same time. Our union is frowned upon because of our past, but we've proved them wrong."

"Hans," she gasped. Her eyes were glassy with tears at his confession.

"I have nothing grand to offer, and I may be pushing my luck, but," he paused, looking at her with sincerity, "Elisabeth," he gently said, taking her by surprise at her given name. "Will you marry me?"

Her vision got blurry with tears as she stood there. It was too much for her, the love and joy that she felt was overwhelming, but in a good way.

"Yes." She nodded furiously. "God, yes!"

He slid the ring on her finger, and got up to pull her into his arms. He spun her around, burying his face in the crook of her neck. There were sparks in his chest when he heard her giggles, and realisation began to sink in. _They're engaged._

"I love you." He put her down, so they were standing face to face. One hand cradled her head, with his thumb rubbing her cheek gently. "I love you so much."

Elsa smiled, giving into his touch. "And I love you too, so very much." She covered his hand with hers, as she pressed a gentle kiss on the heel of his palm. "Don't ever doubt yourself, okay? You are worthy."

Hans nodded slowly. "Forgive me."

"It's okay." Elsa nuzzled his nose. "There's nothing to forgive."

"There's also another thing." He began.

Elsa tilted her head with interest. "Yes?"

"I'm staying." Hans smiled. "This time for good."

"Hans, what?" With her mouth agape, she gazed into his emerald eyes, searching for any hint of mischief, and when she couldn't find any, she blinked. "I don't understand."

He led her to a chair nearby, and helped her sit, before seating himself next to her. Taking her hand in his, Hans pressed his lips over the knuckles.

"So, I might have asked Anna a favour just about last week. I was applying for a vacant spot in the Arendellian Navy."

It did not take her long to guess. "The Vice Admiral?"

The redhead nodded. "Yes."

"And you got it?" This time, she was smiling.

"I did."

Elsa didn't know what to say. The news was another thing she didn't expect to hear, and it seemed as if her day couldn't get any better.

"It's," the former queen paused, "wonderful! I'm so happy for you, truly."

She cupped his face and showered him with kisses, from his forehead to his temple, then his nose, and down to his lips. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Elsa settled on his lap. She nuzzled the crook of his neck as he held her close.

"I'm so glad to have you home, Hans." She murmured.

"Home?"

Elsa nodded, looking up to him, fondly. "You're here now with me. We are home."

 _Home_. He liked the ring of it. Elsa had been his safe haven, and then she was his home. In the end, things were working out just fine, and they were both alright.

"Thank you, Elsa."

"Hmm?" She eyed the new accessory on her ring finger with a smile, before darting her attention back to him. "For what?"

Hans felt his heart swell. He pressed another kiss on her temple. "For letting me in, and giving me a second chance." And he would be forever grateful for that.

Quietly, Elsa settled back in his embrace. Her blue eyes were gazing far ahead at the open sea. Once in a while, she stole glances at the symbol of their union, and she realised that the past few days they spent under the sun were leading up to that very moment. How their story went as the time passed, she would treasure that, and despite the rocky path they had to take to get there, Elsa regretted nothing.

Suddenly the future didn't seem to be uncertain. Hans is staying, and we're getting married, Elsa told herself. That steadiness, something to hold onto, was all she needed. And forever with him, she couldn't wait to spend.

* * *

**END.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> So, this book has finally reached the ending. Thank you everyone, for your support and kind words. It has been quite a journey, a pleasant one, and I'm happy to get to participate on Helsa Summer Event 2020. Please note that I will still write Helsa fics in the future, so this book won't be the last one I write. I love this ship so much and I have some AUs already planned for them.
> 
> For now, I think that's all from me. Have a great summer, everyone! Cheers!


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